Will Jack Layton Be Able to Soldify His Gains?

While the NDP are basking in the glow of their big historic electoral advances over a month ago and are gearing up for their 50th anniversary and convention later this week

They are now the official opposition are whether we want to acknowledge it or not is "a government in waiting"  They are keeping their rookies on a short leash in hopes of solidifying their huge gains. 

Will the NDP be able to  firm up those big gains or are they just a phase in Quebec that will pass?  I don't know, but who knows? .As we all know those folks tend to be fickle. In order to overtake the Conservatives they have to make huge gains in other parts of the country besides Quebec. 

  Another difficulty for Jack to win the big prize is, it seems the country is moving away from wanting  big government  to  come in and solve our every problem.  NDP believe big government should solve every problem in our lives. They would have to move some what  to the right that's for sure.


Jack  also has a caucus conundrum. He has to perform a juggling act.  He has to keep his Quebec caucus happy which is very possible would  tick off his Western caucus  and vise versa at the same time babysitting his daycare caucus.

 Monte Solberg cautions us  that four years from now if the Conservatives really mess up it's a remote possibility you could very well see Jack and Olivia move from Stornoway into 24 Sussex. and take an axe to our economy.

So, we nervously settle on the belief there’s no way in a billion years the NDP could ever be government, and I use “billion years” advisedly because I don’t want to be accused of exaggeration.
But the NDP did make big gains last time because those notoriously sophisticated Quebec voters carefully examined the issues, got to really know the NDP candidates and after deep reflection, voted them in en masse.
As an aside, I note that right after the election the Quebec government fretted publicly that Quebec might be losing its influence in Ottawa. Obviously we all pray it isn’t so, but if it is so, what shocking development could have caused that waning of influence?

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 If the Conservatives don’t keep the economy on track, the door opens a crack to the axe-wielding loon who lives below, though to be fair he’s an economic axe murderer with a social conscience.

 Should we take them seriously though? Yeah, I think so. Absolutely nothing should be take for granted.  Stranger things have happened. They have some very dangerous socialist policies and by a fluke come next election, they could take the reins of power and implement that agenda.   At the least we should watch them very closely. 

A Shift Towards Conservatism in Canada

The Manning Center for Building Democracy  in their annual survey says Canadians are starting to embrace conservatism.   It was conducted just right after the election that resulted in PM Stephen Harper and the Conservatives in winning a majority government.

"The ideological 'centre' in Canada has shifted to a new conservative ideology."
The poll also looks at how Canadians' attitudes align -- or not -- with typical 'small-c' conservative values and policies.
According to the Manning Centre's interpretation, not only are Canadians becoming more conservative, they also want their government to move away from pursuing grand visions and designs for society, and focus on the issues of the day.
Canadians, it appears, increasingly would like to take care of themselves. Of those surveyed, 67% said they believed government should get smaller, and 65% believe governments shouldn't try to anticipate and act on challenges of the future, but rather spend more time and energy managing the problems of today.
"Traditionally, Canadians were very, very deferential towards elites and looked to government not simply as a broker of the public good but a provider of the public good," said Allan Gregg, chairman of the polling firm Harris-Decima that conducted the survey.

It's just proves that big government ideas that was started under the  Pierre Trudeau Liberals hasn't worked.  May 2nd elections results play that out. Liberals are now  the third party.

That's  good news for conservatives. The party who will take this report  to heart and present conservative ideas  will gain the public's support.  Hopefully, the Harper government will do more conservative things.

Is This Just Two Rogue MPs or Is This NDP Policy?

 NDP MPs, Alex Atamanenko from BC and  Quebec MP Alexandre Boulerice both support the humanitarian  flotilla  to Gaza.

The Canadian Boat to Gaza plans to join other countries as part of a 12-boat flotilla this month to bring aid and challenge Israel to stop its blockade of the destitute Palestinian territory.
Israeli marines attacked an international aid flotilla bound for Gaza last May and killed nine Turkish activists.
Atamanenko – MP for the BC southern interior – and Boulerice – Quebec MP for RosemontLa Petite Patrie – are both listed on the Canadian Boat to Gaza’s endorsement page.

Jack Layton claims he knew nothing about his Members.

Opposition leader Jack Layton said he was unaware the two MPs supported the effort, but party communication advisors were briefed before his scrum with reporters.
“We think that the unauthorized intentions run severe risks,” said Layton, who met with the Israeli ambassador Tuesday. “It’s not an initiative that is supported by the NDP. We want the blockade to end according to the call by the United Nations.”

Remember Libby Davies,almost exactly a year ago was in hot water for comments she made at an anit-Israel protest when she questioned the right for Israel to exist and believes in boycotts and sanctions against Israel.


Thankfully, Foreign Minister John Baird has come out against this humanitarian flotilla,

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has said those wishing to deliver humanitarian goods to the Gaza strip should do so through “established channels.”

And  so has Liberal leader Bob Rae,

“It’s not necessary in order to get humanitarian aid into Gaza,” said Rae. “If you’re interested in getting aid to Gaza, there is a very clear process to do that by going through the Red Cross and other international agencies."

If it already isn't ,the NDP Socialist Caucus,  wants to make ant-Israel policy,  the official party policy. at their conconvention this year. Take a close look at resolution No.10:

10. Justice for Palestinians, Boycott apartheid Israel

Whereas there can be no lasting peace in Palestine/Israel, or the surrounding region, without social justice;

Therefore Be it Resolved that the NDP actively campaign for the Right of Return for all refugees, an end to the Israeli settlements and Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands, a halt to the armed aggression, the bulldozing of homes, the destruction of olive groves and farms, the assassination of political leaders and activists by the Zionist state, and the removal of the apartheid wall, still under construction across the West Bank.

Therefore Be it Further Resolved that the NDP call for restoration of aid to the Palestine Authority, demand a halt to military aid, investment and economic trade with Israel until all the above demands are met, and that the NDP campaign for an end to the rule of apartheid laws that make Israeli Arabs and Palestinians second and third class citizens under occupation.


This is certainly something we need to watch closely at the NDP convention this year.

Will We Finally See Smaller Goverment?

Let's hope so.  Finance Minister Jim Flaherty in Budget 2011 2.0 has indicated there will be spending cuts.  Where will the government make their cuts.  They have promised to balance the budget by 2014-2015.

No details have been give as of yet but apparently they are about to do a comprehensive review of spending to find at least $4 billion a year.  Programs will probably be slashed and the public service reduced. 

Right away the $2 voter subsidy will be phased out finally.  

It's a good start and I'm glad the Conservatives have finally indicated the size of government will be reduced and taxpayers dollars will be saved.  I just pray they follow through.

They could start by cutting funding the arts special interest groups, get rid of the CHRC, privatize the CBC, VIA Rail, eliminate the equalization program and get rid of those pesky regional development agencies as well.

Let's keep their feet to the fire to make sure they do what they say.

Roque Page Brigette DePape Wants an Arab Spring

The page who disrupted the Throne Speech on Friday has sure been  having her 15 minutes of fame giving interviews all weekend long to the left wing media party even missing her convocation ceremonies yesterday. calling  for an Arab Spring here in Canada and shamefully they egg her on. She like the media party doesn't like the Harper government.

Maybe she should have a chat with some who have been in the Middle East during the protests.  Someone like ABC News reporter Lara Logan who was viciously and violently sexually assaulted right in Egypt's Tahrir Square by a mob of thugs.

In Syria, Arab spring has resulted in more than 1000 of Syrian's own citizens being murdered.  More have been arrested or wounded in many household raids conducted by  evil President Bashar al-Assad's thugs. A13yr old boy  was tortured and killed. His body was mutilated. 

This is only a couple of examples of "Arab spring" There is much more of this violence that isn't being reported.   People in the Middle East are literally dying for a  democracy like ours. That's what I thnk she doesn't get. We are truly blessed.  So what in the heck does she want?

She should be proud and greatful that she lives in a country shes has the freedom to voice her opinion and to peacefully protest any other time and place without any threat to her life but during  the Throne Speech in the Senate was inapprioate.We just had a free and democratic election that those in the Middle East are dying for and if she's not happy about the result, she has a chance in 4yrs if she wants to change it.  Even a former page who left a comment on David Akin's blog is disgusted by her action.

by Sarah on Sun 05 Jun 2011 10:28 PM EDT  | 

As a former parliamentary page (in the House of Commons), I felt completely betrayed Miss DePape's protest.

In order to serve Parliament as a page, one swears an oath to uphold and serve the dignity of Parliament. She swore to serve Parliament in a non-partisan and impartial manner. With her protest, Miss DePape has now betrayed the very Parliament that she swore to serve.

When you put on that uniform, you are representing the institution of parliament itself. It is a privilege and an honour, and if she wasn't willing to live up to the trust that was placed in her she should have resigned her position.

There is a place for protest in our political system, but sullying and dishonouring the reputation of our parliamentary page programs is not the way to participate in it. As a result, Parliamentarians will start distrusting the pages, ensuring none are nearby when they have a politically sensitive conversation, and refusing to trust them to deliver notes and letters to other Parliamentarians.

I have always been so proud of the role that pages play in our political system, and it was an immense honour to have been selected as a page. Representing our Parliament in a neutral and non-partisan manner is a vital requirement for pages.

I am ashamed that another page could do such a thing to dishonour the office of a Parliamentary page. She has let down all former and current pages in Canada.

Sadly Brigette DePape is just one example of  what's being taught in our schools and these kids are our future leaders and it's troubling to say the least. Scary!